Gone Swimming
by AllHailTheGeek
Summary: Set in the same AU as Trials. In an attempt to combat Aayla's aquaphobia, the Council sends her on an extended mission to the ocean world of Glee Anselm, pursuant to vague rumors of political upheaval. The catch? There's a certain male native of the planet going with her...Rating will elevate.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm doing what?!"

"Teaching a youngling class to swim, Master Secura. You can do it perfectly well yourself, you're a fine teacher, so how hard can it be?"

"Well, no, but - you don't understand, it's - remember Kamino, um, you see, I've been…"

Her shields were rather faulty this morning. Master Windu had no trouble picking up the thought. " _Aquaphobic?_ You, Aayla Secura, aquaphobic? I admit, I do remember Kamino and it must have been _very_ traumatic, but to be afraid of water because of the one incident alone?"

Her cheeks purpled a little. "Yes. K- I mean, Master Fisto has been teasing me about it for years now. If you wouldn't mind, could you have him take that youngling class instead? Tell him sorry from his...uh, from his friend?"

"He's currently off planet, due to return in a couple hours. Or didn't you know that?"

"Oh! No, I had no idea, I'm surprised he didn't tell- I mean, we're fairly close, and he usually fills me in when he's going on a mission…"

"That's all right. I'll see if Bant Eerin can do it. Healer's ward is quiet right now, with Kenobi and Skywalker home and out of trouble. Vokara might be able to spare her."

Aayla chuckled lightly. "Thank you, Master Windu. I know, it's rather a...handicap...but I'm reluctant to see a mind healer over such a trifling thing."

"You're very welcome. Force be with you." They parted ways.

He would visit Master Eerin in a couple minutes. Right now, though, he had a comm call to make. After all, there was no luck, only the will of the Force (or in this case the Jedi High Council), and as such that meeting with Aayla had hardly been a _coincidence._

Anakin picked up immediately- like as not, he'd been waiting for the report with bated breath. _"Skywalker."_

"It's me, Mace. I found her all right, and it seems your suspicions are well-founded- both of them, in fact. Shall we convene the Council, before the other object of your little proposed conspiracy gets back?"

He could almost hear the younger man's insouciant grin. _"Yep. I'll tell you the details when you get up here, Master Windu. Padmé will love to hear about this. Skywalker out."_

* * *

The meeting was just finishing up when Kit entered the chambers. He looked askance at his fellow Councillors, noting the increased depth of Obi-Wan's dimples that invariably meant he was up to something. This hunch was corroborated by Mace's shields that were somehow too strong, and the gleeful frisson of mischief in the Force being very badly squashed by Anakin...stars' end, what had they been _doing_ while he was gone?!

"Greetings, Master Fisto," Yoda addressed him. "Late you are, but your fault this is not; early we started, hm. Finished discussing business we are, I think?" Nods of assent from all, plus one devious smile from the Skywalker end of things. Kit's suspicion deepened. "One more matter there is, however. Mission briefing. Aayla Secura we must summon."

Five minutes later, having been duly summoned, said Twi'lek Master strolled in the door. Yet again, Kit hid the accompanying flutters in his breast behind shields of durasteel. It simply _would not do_ to display such unbecoming emotion in the middle of a Council session, now would it? He furtively glanced around to see if the rest remained oblivious; they did. "A mission we have for you, Master Secura," Yoda continued. "Informed us, Master Windu has, that an irrational fear you harbor."

"Yes, Master." There went her lekku again, going a little bit purple as her cheeks flushed the same hue- Force, he loved it when she did that.

"Conditional, the repeal of the ban was, yes? Permitted is attachment to other beings, so stronger may those bonded grow, but attached you are still to fear, hm? A kind partner it is not. Make you stronger it will not. All life water requires, much beauty there is in it. No reason I see for your _apprehension._ "

She was blushing in earnest now, though to her credit, her expression was a model of Jedi reserve. "N-no, Master Yoda, I suppose I don't have one, a reason, I mean… Should- should I see a mind healer?"

"No. Face your fear you must, not talk about it. Go to Glee Anselm you shall- an ocean world it is, much fear to face, yes? Premier Chaliss urgent Jedi assistance has requested. Even Master Kenobi, discern Premier's intentions he could not. But serious it is, yes. Last Jedi to visit, Knight Sarack and Padawan Eshao, a disturbance they sensed. Knight Sarack strong in Unifying Force is. A vision she had, troubling it was. Three standard weeks ago they left, and now the Premier asks. A coincidence this is _not._ "

"I couldn't agree more, Master...but why me? I hail from an arid planet. You know I'm not that well acquainted with Nautolan culture-" Kit suppressed a snort of incredulity- "and my fear is likely to slow me down, if not place the mission in grave jeopardy. Why not send someone a little…better qualified?"

Master Yoda's eyes lit up with mischief. "Oh, a better-qualified Jedi we are sending eh heh heh heh. Alone you shall not be. By our own Master Fisto will you be accompanied!"

Kit did a double take. "Wait- what? Me?!" he spluttered, not quite comprehending. "You never said anything about-"

"That, I'm afraid, is our prerogative," Master Kenobi cut in. _Smirking,_ no less. "Even a Councillor may be tasked with a surprise mission. The decision to send you was _very nearly_ unanimous." A pointed glare at Oppo Rancisis, which went completely unnoticed (or perhaps ignored) by its intended target.

Kit almost asked what all this clandestine monkey-lizard business was about, but thought better of it. A mission with Aayla? He was practically thanking the Force already! Swallowing his confusion, he managed to stand up and make his bows. "Of course, Masters...I'll do it. When does the transport leave?"

"Tomorrow, eighth hour sharp." Eighth hour? Master Windu was being lenient. He might actually get a good night's sleep before shipping out again.

That is, if the mere thought of spending weeks alone with Aayla didn't keep him up into the wee hours. Judging by her Force presence, she was thinking much the same thing.

Kit allowed himself a shy little grin.

 **A/N: Well, I'm afraid this is it. The law has been laid down by a vile conspiracy of various powers that be: I must put real life before fanfiction from now on, until March at the earliest. Expect very few further updates for the time being. I apologize truly and fully, my Masters, and accept your censure (via PM and indignant review).**


	2. Chapter 2

**I seem to have forgotten the disclaimer again (really, AllHailTheGeek, pull yourself together!): I own no part of Star Wars, not even the Legends/EU stuff that was scrapped- I liked some of that, Disney! Come on!**

They sat unmoving on Kit's two worn meditation cushions, facing one another. His green, webbed hands clasped Aayla's own slender blue ones, though she wasn't focused on the physical sensation so much as the sensation in the Force: she and Kit were as binary suns, entangled particles, entities with separate minds but a single, unified heart. They drifted upon the Force's ethereal currents, content to simply _be,_ together.

Separating their consciousnesses when the meditation was over took longer than either of them expected. An overwhelming sense of peace pervaded them both afterward; neither moved for several seconds, loath to break the serenity of the moment.

"We should do this more often," Aayla breathed.

"Right you are."

The Twi'lek stood gracefully, then indulged in a long, luxurious stretch. Sunlight like molten gold streamed through the tall window procured by virtue of Kit's Councillor status, illuminating motes of dust in the air as they coruscated on some hidden breeze. Said Councillor remained seated a moment longer, eyes still closed. A minuscule furrow appeared between his hairless brows. "Aayla, I've been thinking…" he began, then stopped. The furrow deepened.

"What? You, thinking? Such a dangerous pursuit, really, Kit," Aayla teased gently. Kit opened his eyes; feeling the pearlescent black orbs fixed on her, she let the joke drop and gazed back at him expectantly.

"I've been thinking...about the two of us."

Aayla sighed, sitting down again for what would no doubt be a lengthy talk. It had been her who had broached this rather touchy subject last time, and Kit who had provided the logical objection. Now it seemed it fell to her to make him see reason. A sad duty, but a necessary one. The sunlight no longer seemed quite so warm on her face. "You know how I interpret the Code. How we both interpret it."

"Yes, but...Aayla, we're so _formal_ with each other. Every day, it's just you calling me Master Fisto, me calling you Master Secura, a little bow and an even littler smile, and that's that. Surely we can be friends, simple friends, without violating even the most conservative interpretation of the Code?"

"We are _friends,_ Kit. Simple friends, as you so aptly put it. Don't try to beat around the bush- I know what you want, and it can't work. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be the one telling you this- I told you I wanted it myself, not so very long ago-"

"Then if you want it, why don't you let us have it? Anakin and Padmé made it work, Obi-Wan and Siri made it work, why can't we?"

"Because they are different beings, Kit, with different personalities, different worldviews. We are all entitled to our own opinions, as long as they are rational ones, and my opinion is this: attachment may be permitted now, but that doesn't mean it's not still dangerous. You heard what Padmé went through- her mind was nearly shattered because of her bond with Anakin. _Shattered,_ Kit. Do you want that to happen to either of us?"

Kit's expression was impassive, but a trickle of annoyance seeped through his shields. "That's no argument, Aayla. As far as we know, the Sith are gone, and the Sith are the ones who did all that to Padmé. And besides, just because it _could_ happen doesn't mean it _will._ We are both Jedi- we're used to mind shielding, to being cut off from each other for extended periods of time-"

Aayla suppressed a frustrated huff and changed tactics. "And besides," she broke in, "there is always the Code. What happened to _there is no emotion?_ What happened to _there is no passion?"_

"The Council is opening talks on reverting to the old form right now!" Kit's voice was raised slightly, as close as he ever came to an angry shout.

Force, but he could be even more vexing than Master Quinlan (if such a thing were possible). Aayla didn't even know what the "old form" was- what, did he expect her to? The Code hadn't changed in thousands of years! _"Enough,_ Kit," she veritably growled at the Nautolan, who reacted with obvious surprise. Struggling to keep her tone calm, she went on, "We've had this argument some five times now. _Five._ And last time it was _you_ taking my current position. Instead of going around in casuistical circles, may we _please_ spend our last few hours before that mission doing something a little more _productive?!"_

Before Aayla could get anything more than a vague sense of shock and worry from Kit, his shields slammed down, much like the frosted transparisteel bubbles Nautolan architecture was famous for: smooth and perfectly rounded, nearly impervious to the ravages of the ocean. Aayla's curiosity slid off without effect. Kit stood up sharply, rigidly, _dismissal_ raging in the hardened lines of his face, in the stiff bow he offered his Twi'lek comrade. "I think you ought to go, Aayla. We ship out tomorrow morning, in case you'd forgotten. I need time to gather my thoughts, to meditate on it. Alone."

Aayla stood up and bowed back, just as stiffly. The sun, now orange and sinking low over the skyline (for Coruscant had no horizon, only a skyline), got directly in her eyes as she did so, making them water. "I'm sorry to have overstayed my welcome, Master Fisto. May the Force be with you."

She thought she heard a quiet "And with you as well" from inside the quarters as the door slid shut, but it was hard to be sure.

* * *

 _Well,_ Aayla reflected, _if Kit's thoughts are even half as scattered as this, he meant what he said about needing time to gather them!_

The sun was gone entirely now, leaving Aayla's smaller quarters swathed in shadow, save for the pool of brightness cast by three scented candles. The Twi'lek Jedi shifted on her cushion, trying to meditate just as she'd been trying for the past hour...but no matter how hard she tried, it simply _didn't work._ Memories of her conversation with Kit capered through her brain like wild colwar kits, absurdly undisciplined younglings running willy-nilly and demanding her attention all at once. It was all she could do to get them in line, much less release them to the Force.

 _I need time to gather my thoughts, to meditate on it. Alone. Anakin and Padmé made it work, Obi-Wan and Siri made it work, why can't we? We're used to mind shielding, to being cut off from each other for extended periods of time. I know what you want, and it can't work. I'm sorry._

 _She and Kit were as binary suns, entangled particles, separate entities with a single, unified heart. They drifted upon the Force's ethereal currents, content to simply_ be, _together._

 _Together._

 _We should really do this more often._

"We should," Aayla whispered aloud, into the silence.

A drop of the water that had gathered in the corners of her eyes when the sunset pierced them slowly escaped onto her cheek.


End file.
